Charters and Caldicott (BBC-1 1985, Robin Bailey, Michael Aldridge)

In the excellent comedy drama crime drama series Charters and Caldicott, the retired gents of the title find themselves drawn into a murder mystery when a body is found in the sitting room of Caldicott, the body is that of the daughter of an old friend but the mystery deepens when Charters receives a phone call from the dead girl.

Over the course of the six episodes the duo discover the mystery is linked to millions of pounds worth of gold that was being carried on a U-boat that was sunk off the English coast during world war II. There is a thrilling finale that takes place at Lords Cricket Ground, both on and off the pitch!

The two lead characters had first appeared in the film The Lady Vanishes(1938) played by Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne, these two actors played the roles in a number of other films during the 30’s and forties(Night Train To Munich, It’s Not Cricket etc.)

The duo are still the cricket loving duo of the films, Charters and Caldicott, now in their sixties have known each other since they were at school (public of course) together.

classic quote
“do you always call him by his surname?”
“my dear, even his mother called him by his surname”.

production details
UK / BBC-1 – A&E Network – 7 Network / 6×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 10 January – 14 February 1985 Thursdays @ 9.25pm

Writer: Keith Waterhouse / Script Editor: Jenny Sheridan / Characters created by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat / Music: Paul Reade / Costumes: Amy Roberts / Production Design: Ray London, Paul Munting / Producer: Ron Craddock / Director: Julian Aymes

cast
ROBIN BAILEY as Charters
MICHAEL ALDRIDGE as Caldicott
TESSA PEAKE-JONES as Jenny
CAROLINE BLAKISTON as Margaret Mottram
GERARD MURPHY as Detective Inspector Murphy
PHILIP STONE as Venables
PATRICK CARTER as Grimes
GRANVILLE SAXTON as Chauffeur
MICHAEL STAINTON as Detective Sergeant Tipper
OLIVE MILBOURNE as Gushing Lady
TONY CHAMBERS as Cecil St Clair
CHRISTOPHER MUNCKE as Josh Darrell
NORMAN RUTHERFORD as Clergyman
ALBERT WELCH as Barstow
RAY JONES as Sergeant
BARRY SUMMERFORD as Constable
GRANVILLE SAXTON as Chauffeur
SCOTT FREDERICKS as Gordon Wrigley
IVAN BEAVIS as Jacob Norton